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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26126125">Ties Between Dimensions</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gokaiblue/pseuds/gokaiblue'>gokaiblue</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adopted Children, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Good Parent Maddie Wachowski, Good Parent Tom Wachowski, Maddie Wachowski and Tom Wachowski are Sonic the Hedgehog's Parents, Mental Breakdown, Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:49:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,330</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26126125</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gokaiblue/pseuds/gokaiblue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sonic the Hedgehog was once again fighting Eggman when he was suddenly transported into another world...with another version of him. This version, while sharing his name and a bit of his likeness, has led a much different life than him, causing the blue blur to begin to evaluate his life in light of his counterpart's.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sonic the Hedgehog &amp; Maddie Wachowski &amp; Tom Wachowski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>156</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. In a New Yet Familiar World</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In a grassy area, a battle once again was being waged between Eggman and Sonic. Laser blasts from a large walker robot whizzed past the blue hedgehog as he ran. This was business as usual for both hog and human, as they have been doing this for several years. Every time, the hog was the victor. Despite going through trouble, near death, emotional turmoil, and strife, he always had a smile on his face.</p><p>"Haha! Catch me if you can!" Sonic quipped</p><p>"You annoying little pest!" Eggman growled.</p><p>The doctor then had a large grin on his face as he looked at the glass container within his large machine. Contained in it was a chaos emerald, one that Eggman had acquired during his travels. Eggman pressed the button above the container.</p><p>"Get a load of this!"</p><p>A blast was fired at Sonic. Though Sonic tried to dodge it, he was too slow and got hit by it. The hedgehog let out a scream, and he was surrounded by blue light. Eggman shielded his eyes from the intense light, which was too intense even for his round blue sunglasses. He grinned.</p><p>When the light had diminished, Sonic was gone. This perplexed Eggman. He at least expected to see him lying on the ground unconscious (or even dead), but there was nothing. He shrugged. Sonic was no longer in his way. That's all that mattered.</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>Sonic was slowly coming to, but his vision was slightly blurry. He looked around and saw that he was in a forest filled with tall trees. They appeared to have duller colors than he was used to. The hedgehog didn't quite feel like he was truly awake, like in a daze or a dream-like state. He then spotted a blue streak speeding by.</p><p>Wait...blue streak? Speeding by? What was going on? Isn't he the blue speedster? This confused Sonic.</p><p>The last thing he saw before blacking out once more was a pair of red and white shoes similar to his own.</p><p> </p><p>"Mom! He's waking up!"</p><p>"Shh. Be quiet, Sonic. He's probably still tired."</p><p><em>Sonic? But I'm Sonic, </em>Sonic thought.</p><p>He opened his eyes. Standing over him was a human woman with dark skin….and a blue hedgehog!? "H-Huh!?" The teen exclaimed.</p><p>Sonic tried to get up but felt a sharp pain within his body. It wasn't centralized in one location of his body but rather it was everywhere (though he did feel it mostly in one of his legs). The woman gently pushed him down.</p><p>"Easy there, bud." She said calmly, "Just lay back down. Breathe."</p><p>Sonic nodded and complied.</p><p>"W-who are you? W-where am I?"</p><p>She smiled. "I'm Maddie Wachowski. This here is my son, Sonic."</p><p>The smaller Sonic grinned and waved.</p><p>He wasn't hearing things earlier. This child in front of him shared his name and his likeness. He looked much younger than himself—maybe 12 or 13 at the oldest, and there were slight differences in his physical appearance such as his arms and eyes, but there was no mistaking that this had to be some other version of himself.</p><p>"You're at my house in Green Hills, Montana. On Earth. I take it you're not from Earth, right? A Spacehog like my son?" The woman continued.</p><p>"Actually, I am from Earth, well, another Earth I guess. I'm….Sonic...Sonic the Hedgehog." Sonic replied.</p><p>Both of the figures blinked.</p><p>"But...I'm Sonic. Wait... you said another Earth...I just read about this in a comic! Are you an alternate version of me? Do you have powers too? Can you run fast? How fast? Not faster than me I bet! Where's the fur on your arms? Did you shave it? Are you older than me? I'm 12...almost 13!" The other Sonic rambled.</p><p>Sonic just stared. Did he talk this much?</p><p>"Sonic, slow down!" Maddie stated.</p><p>The boy stopped his lip flapping.</p><p>"S-sorry. Got a little carried away."</p><p>Sonic had already been thinking of answers for the questions posed to him by his other self.</p><p>"It's fine, bud. Yeah, I guess I'm an alternate version of you. I have some sort of power and can run fast. I don't shave my arms. I'm 15, so yes, I'm older than you." Sonic smirked. "As for who can run faster...well let's find out in a race later."</p><p>"Much, much later," Maddie interjected, "Your right leg and several ribs are either bruised or broken. No running or racing, young man."</p><p>He frowned. "Aw man...I hate sitting still!"</p><p>"Sorry bud," Maddie smirked.</p><p>"So...how did you get here?" The younger Sonic asked.</p><p>"Well, Wachowski—can I call you Wachowski?"</p><p>Wachowski nodded.</p><p>"Or blue devil. Anything works." He replied.</p><p>"Well, Wachowski, I was fighting Eggman as usual, and he shot me with some sort of laser beam. It hurt, like really hurt, and I blacked out and ended up here." Sonic shrugged. "It must have been a portal or something….maybe he used chaos control."</p><p>Wachowski and Maddie tilted their heads.</p><p>"Chaos control?" They both asked.</p><p>"Um...well...there are these things called—" He was interrupted by his stomach growling. "Actually, can I tell you later? I'm kinda hungry."</p><p>Maddie chuckled.</p><p>"Lemme guess, you want a chili dog?"</p><p>Sonic smirked.</p><p>"How'd you know? You one of Eggman's spies or something?"</p><p>Maddie laughed. "No, no. My Sonic loves them too, so I figured you might as well."</p><p>As if on cue, the blue devil's eyes lit up with excitement.</p><p>"Ooh! Can I have one too?"</p><p>Maddie smiled and rubbed the boy's ears. Wachowski smiled and let out a satisfied sigh.</p><p>"Of course, my little blueberry."</p><p>Instantly, Maddie's blueberry looked more like a tomato as he blushed.</p><p>"Mom! I wanna look cool for other me!"</p><p>Both Sonic and Maddie laughed, though Sonic did so with much difficulty due to his broken and bruised ribs.</p><p>"I'll go ahead and make lunch. You stay here and rest." Maddie instructed.</p><p>Sonic nodded in response.</p><p>After some time, the chili dogs were ready. Maddie brought in a tray to Sonic, who was now sitting up. He grabbed one and took a bite.</p><p>"This is amazing, Maddie!" Sonic exclaimed.</p><p>Maddie smiled.</p><p>"Glad you like it." She replied.</p><p>Both hedgehogs were eating their chili dogs and conversing.</p><p>"So.. there are seven chaos emeralds...like the Dragon Balls!?" Wachowski asked.</p><p>Sonic gave a confused and somewhat disgusted face. "What are those?" He responded</p><p>"Oh...just something from a show I watch."</p><p>The two hedgehogs soon finished their meal. Sonic sighed. "I can't take this! I need to move! Do something!" Sonic exclaimed</p><p>"Sonic...you've been here for less than an hour," Maddie said.</p><p>"It feels so much longer!"</p><p>She sighed and chuckled.</p><p>"Ooh! Ooh! Can I show him around town?" Wachowski asked.</p><p>"If he's up to it. Sonic, can you stand up, buddy?"</p><p>Sonic stood up, struggling. He tried putting weight on his broken leg, which was in a cast at this point, but felt a sharp and intense pain.</p><p>"Agh!" He cried. Sonic sighed. "I could probably walk with some crutches or something...you have those?"</p><p>"I might still have the ones from when my husband broke his leg earlier this year. They're adjustable, but it's a bit tricky to figure out how to make them shorter or longer." Maddie smiled. "Sonic—my Sonic— found them and tried using them. It was so adorable."</p><p>Wachowski blushed. "A-Anyway...let's get them for you, big me!" Wachowski said.</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>Maddie, needing to run some errands anyway, volunteered to drive them into town. Wachowski sat in his booster seat (something that perplexed Sonic but mortified Wachowski), and Sonic simply sat next to him in the back (despite the elder hedgehog insisting he should sit in the front). The drive was filled with trees and forests for the first portion. Wachowski pointed out each path that he ran and the stories that went with them.</p><p>"Ooh! That's where I first met Crazy Carl! And that's where my cave was!" He exclaimed.</p><p>Sonic nodded as he looked out the window.</p><p>"Very cool, bud." He said, somewhat distracted.</p><p>This world looked similar to his own, or at least the more urban portion of it. Yet, it had its own distinct flavor. The trees and foliage had less vibrant colors, for example.</p><p>"Other me! Look! That's my school! Well, it will be soon. It's complicated." Wachowski stated.</p><p>"School? What's that?" Sonic asked.</p><p>"Um, it's a place where you learn stuff and meet new people."</p><p>"Huh. I think I just learned stuff through life somehow."</p><p>Wachowski then pointed to the baseball field.</p><p>"There's the school's baseball field! I play on the little league on that same field too! It's awesome!"</p><p>"Sounds pretty cool, bud."</p><p>Wachowski continued pointing out things along the way until they reached the grocery store. Both hedgehogs got out of the car along with Maddie.</p><p>"Alright. I'll probably be done in about an hour. Meet me back here or text me when you two get done with your little tour." Maddie instructed.</p><p>Wachowski smiled and gave a mock salute.</p><p>"10-4 Mom!" He replied.</p><p>Wachowski grabbed Sonic's hand and dashed into town.</p><p>"Woah!" Sonic exclaimed, grabbing his crutches with one hand.</p><p>Soon, they were in the main strip of Green Hills. The boy was excited as he pointed out every nook and cranny of the small town.</p><p>"There's the flower shop, the clinic, and that's where Dad works—Green Hills Police Department!" He stated excitedly.</p><p>"Your dad's a cop?"</p><p>"He's the Sheriff! Everybody loves him, except when he gets them in trouble." Wachowski giggled.</p><p>Sonic smiled, despite hating having to hobble on crutches. He felt so slow, like a turtle or something! It was infuriating!</p><p>As they passed the bar, a disheveled older gentleman stumbled out onto the sidewalk.</p><p>"Oh, hey Crazy Carl!"</p><p>The eponymous Crazy Carl turned to the hedgehogs. He blinked.</p><p>"T-Two blue d-devils!?" Crazy Carl yelled.</p><p>Wachowski went wide-eyed, not expecting him to react like that.</p><p>"U-um….this is my...big brother! His name is...Ogilive!"</p><p>Sonic turned a shade of red. He most despised the name that the younger hedgehog chose for him, but he said nothing, not wanting to blow his cover in front of this strange man.</p><p>"Um….hi." Sonic greeted."Nice to meet you."</p><p>Carl forced a smile, despite not believing what he was seeing. "Nice t'meet ya too….Ogilvie."</p><p>"I'm just showing him around town, pointing out all the hotspots."</p><p>"Right….well, I was just about t'head back to my cabin. Have fun!" Crazy Carl walked off, presumably to his car. "Ogilvie" turned to Wachowski.</p><p>"So, that's Crazy Carl?" He asked. The boy nodded.</p><p>"Mhm! Me and him had a lot of fun times together!" Wachowski replied.</p><p>The two young hedgehogs continued walking through town. Wachowski seemed very excited to be showing his counterpart around town, and even the simple things such as the gas station and the other flower shop were highlights on the tour. Sonic just followed, taking everything in.</p><p>"Seems like a nice place," Sonic said.</p><p>"It is. I love it here! There's always something new to find!"</p><p>The elder hedgehog smiled at the boy's enthusiasm. Wachowski's phone then rang, and he glanced at the screen. It was Maddie.</p><p>"Hello?" The boy said as he picked up.</p><p>"Hey sweetie," Maddie replied, "I'm almost done at the store. You guys wanna run back to the car?"</p><p>"Uh...maybe you should pick us up….big me kinda got a little nauseous when I dragged him along."</p><p>Sonic looked over as he heard these words, a slightly angry expression on his face.</p><p>"I did not!" He objected.</p><p>Maddie chuckled, hearing the elder Sonic in the background.</p><p>"Okay. Where you guys now?" She asked.</p><p>"We're in front of the donut shop," Wachowski replied.</p><p>"Okay. Be there in a few minutes. You can get some donuts if you want."</p><p>Wachowski nodded. "Got it. Bye, Mom. Love you."</p><p>"Love you too. See you soon, sweetie." She blew a kiss over the phone.</p><p>Maddie hung up, and Wachowski put his phone back in his pants pocket. He then turned to Sonic</p><p>"Want some donuts?"</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>Maddie and the boys were soon on the way home. Sonic looked out the window, watching the town pass by and as it transitioned back to forest, he pondered over this new world. It was similar to his own, yet different. The sky was still blue, the clouds and sun were still there. Even the plants, with their dull colors, looked remarkably similar to the foliage on his world.</p><p>Yet, the life of this other Sonic was completely different. He lived with a family, played sports, and was going to go to school. His life seemed...normal. Had this Sonic even fought his version of Eggman yet?</p><p>Sonic looked over at the boy currently enjoying a donut and a juice box and smirked.</p><p>
  <em>Nah….this kid wouldn't hurt a fly...let alone a badnik.</em>
</p><p>The car ride was awfully quiet compared to earlier when Wachowski was talking his ear off. The only sound he heard was the radio as it played a rather lavish song. The singer's croons filled the hedgehog's ears.</p><p>
  <em>Everybody knows my name</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I got fortune, even fame</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I snap my fingers for a dame</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There ain't no man that I can't tame</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The world is hanging on my string</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I even grabbed that big brass ring</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There ain't no song that I can't sing</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Believe me, friends, the glamour don't mean anything</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You've got a home and a family</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Well, you've got much more than me</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Much more than me</em>
</p><p>That last part made his chest tighten slightly. He had never heard this song before, yet it connected with him in a way the other tunes had not, as if the song was….about himself. He swallowed, fighting back the tears. Hearing this, the younger hedgehog turned to Sonic.</p><p>"You okay? You're not gonna puke again, are you?" He asked.</p><p>Sonic, snapped back to reality, looked over at Wachowski. "Huh? Oh, no. I don't get carsick." He replied with a chuckle.</p><p>Overhearing this, Maddie smirked. "Sonic sometimes falls asleep during car rides, especially after baseball practice." Maddie said.</p><p>Wachowski blushed a deep red. "I do not! I just…..close my eyes for a bit!" Wachowski replied.</p><p>Sonic chuckled, his attention still somewhat on the song as it faded out and the voice that sounded like a cheeseball announcer took its place.</p><p>"That, my friends, was 'Everybody Knows My Name' by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, one of their underrated tunes. Well, time to keep the lights on here in KGHZ. We'll be back with more after a brief commercial break," The disc jockey on the radio quipped as the song ended.</p><p>Sonic took a mental note of the song's name. Maybe he could find it in his world or something similar.</p><p>They soon pulled into the driveway. At the same time, a car bearing the insignia of the Green Hills Police Department was also pulling in. Wachowski nearly jumped out of his seat to look out the window, tail wagging.</p><p>"Dad's home! Dad's home!" The boy cheered.</p><p>Maddie parked the car, and Wachowski quickly got out, appearing as a blur as he dashed from the car to the driver of the police vehicle, nearly tackling him in a hug as he got out of the car.</p><p>"Dad!" Wachowski exclaimed, his tail wagging.</p><p>"Hey, bud. Miss me?"</p><p>He nodded as the man stood up, Wachowski in his arms. Maddie sighed and shook her head, chuckling as she got out of the car and helped the older hedgehog as he did the same.</p><p>"Who's that?" Sonic asked as he got out of the car.</p><p>"Tom, my husband. He actually met Sonic first. They've gone through a lot together." Maddie replied.</p><p>Sonic nodded in understanding. His attention then turned to the groceries.</p><p>"Need help carrying anything?" Sonic offered.</p><p>"Sonic, you're injured. I can handle it." Maddie replied.</p><p>"I insist. I can at least carry one or two bags."</p><p>Maddie sighed. "Alright, but be careful."</p><p>Sonic grabbed two bags from the trunk and hobbled inside as Maddie got the rest. Tom passed by her, holding Wachowski.</p><p>"Need some help, Madz?" Tom offered, setting Wachowski down</p><p>"I got it Tom," Maddie said as she fumbled with the bags, almost dropping one or two.</p><p>Tom sighed and took two bags from Maddie, lightening her load a little. He then proceeded to walk inside, with Maddie following.</p><p>"By the way, who's the new guy?"</p><p>"I'll explain later."</p><p>****</p><p>"So...you're Sonic…from another dimension?" Tom, asked for clarification.</p><p>The Wachowski family and Sonic were now sitting down and enjoying dinner together. Sonic nodded in response to Tom's question as he finished the bite of pot roast he was on.</p><p>"Yeah. It's a bit different than yours."</p><p>"How so?"</p><p>"Well, for one, it's much more colorful."</p><p>Tom nodded in understanding.</p><p>"Second, it's almost always under attack by this mad scientist named Dr. Eggman."</p><p>"Eggman? Oh, you must mean that Robotnik guy."</p><p>Sonic arched his brow. "Robotnik? Haven't called him that in ages."</p><p>Wachowski took a sip of his chocolate milk.</p><p>"So, you fought him too?" Wachowski asked.</p><p>"Yeah, well, probably not exactly the same guy you went up against. I've fought him a bunch of times, and I always come out on top."</p><p>"Woah...so cool! I only fought him once. He's on some sort of Mushroom planet now, and as far as the government is concerned, he no longer exists and never has!"</p><p>Sonic couldn't believe that this innocent child had ever fought someone as dangerous as the mad doctor. Then again, he had only fought him once in his life. For him, it might have still seemed like a game. He smirked.</p><p>"No longer exists and never has, huh? Wish my world was that lucky."</p><p>They continued conversing throughout the meal. Wachowski spoke about the "tour" he gave Sonic, including their encounter with Crazy Carl.</p><p>"I still don't like the name you gave me. Ogilive? Really?" Sonic protested. "Where did you even hear that name anyway?"</p><p>Wachowski shrugged. "Maybe in a comic or something." He replied.</p><p>Soon, all of them had finished eating. Maddie got up and went straight to cleaning up, with Tom's ahead of course.</p><p>"Need any help?" Sonic offered.</p><p>"I think we got it….Ogilive." Tom replied, smirking.</p><p>The hedgehog turned a shade of red. "Don't call me that!"</p><p>Tom, Maddie, and Wachowski laughed a little at Sonic's reaction.</p><p>"Sorry, bud. Seriously though, Maddie and I can handle it. Why don't you go sit down in the living room and get settled in for movie night?"</p><p>Wachowski's face lit up as he smiled widely.</p><p>"Ooh! Ooh! Let's show him my favorite movie!"</p><p>Tom sighed, chuckling. "Sonic, we just saw <em>Speed </em>for like the thousandth time last week."</p><p>"I know, but big me hasn't seen it! Please?"</p><p>"Fine, fine." Tom smiled and scratched the boy's ears. "How about you make us some popcorn while big you gets settled in?"</p><p>"Okay!" Wachowski dashed to the pantry and came back with two packs of popcorn. He put them both in the microwave as Sonic hobbled over to the living room and sat on the couch.</p><p>About ten minutes passed, and all three of the Wachowski's soon joined Sonic on the couch. Maddie set the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. The younger Sonic was seated in between his counterpart and Maddie. Tom picked up the remote, powered on the television, and then went to a thing called "Prime Video," where the movie <em>Speed </em>was proudly displayed under recently watched. Wachowski's tail wagged upon seeing the thumbnail for the movie.</p><p>"Press play, press play, press play!" The boy exclaimed.</p><p>Tom chuckled.</p><p>"Calm down, bud. The movie isn't going anywhere. It's not like it's speeding away," He replied</p><p>Both hedgehogs groaned in response to that pun-ishment of a pun. Tom smirked before highlighting the movie and pressing play, allowing the action on the screen to commence. For the most part, aside from the noise of the movie, it was quiet. Wachowski would occasionally run around and try imitating his favorite scenes in addition to quoting his favorite lines such as—</p><p>"Pop quiz, hotshot. There's a bomb on a bus. Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If it drops below 50, it blows up. What do you do? What do you do?" Wachowski exclaimed as he stood on the couch. He flopped down into Maddie's lap, smiling. "Such a classic line."</p><p>Sonic chuckled a little at the boy. His attention was just as much on the movie as it was on his younger counterpart and his family. As the film went on, Wachowski was visibly getting tired. He rested his head in Maddie's lap, and she responded by scratching the boy's ears. Sonic didn't want to admit it, but he too was starting to feel exhausted. The whole day had taken a lot out of him. He shifted his focus from the movie to the happy family beside him, causing his chest to tighten. Was he...jealous of this Sonic?</p><p>As he drifted off to sleep, his thoughts went back to the song he had heard earlier.</p><p>
  <em>You've got a home and a family</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Well, you've got much more than me</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Much more than me</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bonding Through Pain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A late pickup from baseball practice reveals to Sonic much more about his alternate self</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>
  <b>CHAPTER 2: BONDING THROUGH PAIN</b>
</h1><p> </p><p>
  <em> Vooooooooooommmmmmm. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Sonic awoke to a whirring sound nearby, his eyes snapping open as he was reminded of the terror that was the sky deck of the Egg-Carrier. The blue teen almost lept from the couch but was hampered by his injuries, just managing to bolt upright, kicking off the blanket that had been placed upon him. It was then that he realized it was only Maddie vacuuming. Sonic breathed a sigh of relief as he looked for his crutches. Seeing them on the coffee table in front of him, he grabbed them and hobbled over to Maddie.</p><p> </p><p>“Morning, Maddie!” He yelled over the ruckus.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie switched off the vacuum. “What was that, sweetie?”</p><p> </p><p>“Just saying ‘Good morning.”</p><p> </p><p>She chuckled. “It’s almost 2pm, so you’re a bit late on that one.” Maddie’s eyes went wide as she realized what time it was. “Sonic’s baseball practice ends in half an hour!”</p><p> </p><p>Sonic saw this as an opportunity to repay the kindness of these strangers. “I can go get him.”</p><p> </p><p>Maddie looked down at the blue teen. “How? You can’t exactly run right now, with your leg and all.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can drive.”</p><p> </p><p>She raised a brow. “Really? You, a 15 year old hedgehog can drive? Where do you even keep your license?”</p><p> </p><p>“License? They never asked me for that at the race track…”</p><p> </p><p>Maddie sighed. “I get that you want to help, so tell you what: How about you just come along with-” </p><p> </p><p>She was interrupted by the sound of a door opening as her husband entered the house.</p><p> </p><p>“-Tom to pick Sonic up!”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh? But I just got home,” Tom said confused. His eyes then went wide, “Ah! I forgot to go by the baseball field on the way home from the station!”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, no time to waste. Let’s go!” Sonic exclaimed as he hobbled quickly out the door. Tom followed him and helped the blue hedgehog into the backseat. “I still don’t get why I have to be back here. Why can’t I ride shotgun?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sonic, it’s dangerous. You’re not as big as most human kids your age.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve literally stood on the wing of a plane! Let me ride shotgun!”</p><p> </p><p>“No can do. Besides, it keeps you hidden.”</p><p> </p><p>Sonic blinked. “Oh, right. Don’t need two ‘blue devils’ around I guess.”</p><p> </p><p>Tom closed the backseat door and soon got in the driver’s side. He started the car up and began driving toward Green Hills Middle School at an incredibly fast yet surprisingly still legal speed. The trees surrounding him appeared as a blur. </p><p> </p><p>“This feels like that movie we watched last night!”</p><p> </p><p>Tom smirked. “That’ll be Keanu Reeves’ next picture: <em> Race to Baseball Practice </em>.” He said with a chuckle.</p><p> </p><p>“Who’s Keanu Reeves?”</p><p> </p><p>“You are so lucky other you didn’t hear you say that. He adores the man. In fact, I bet he’d choose him over me as a father if he could.”</p><p> </p><p>“No way!” Sonic snorted. “He’s that obsessed?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. He apparently wants to be him for Halloween.” Tom chuckled, the blinker clicking quietly.</p><p> </p><p>“Halloween? What’s that?”</p><p> </p><p>Tom sighed. This hedgehog had a lot to learn. It reminded him of his Sonic when he first started living with them, all the questions about every single thing, customs, and tradition. Smiling, the cop shot him a sideways look. “I’ll explain later.”</p><p> </p><p>When they arrived at the field, the only people there were Wachowski and his coach. They had come later than anticipated. The blue boy was looking down at the pavement with a crestfallen expression as he walked to the car. His coach followed Sonic and approached the driver’s side window.</p><p> </p><p>“Late again, eh Tom? What? Did you have to fight a duck for a bagel?” He joked. “Seriously, though. Try not to be this late again. Between you and me, I think it’s affecting his performance.”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh? How?” Tom asked, but before he got an answer, the coach was already walking toward his car. </p><p> </p><p>Sonic looked over at the boy. “Hey bud. Hit any homeruns?” </p><p> </p><p>Wachowski was silent. Sonic raised a brow ridge. “Look I’m sorry that we got here late, but-”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t talk to me.” Wachowski mumbled.</p><p> </p><p>Tom sighed as he began the drive back home, the long, silent drive back home. He would occasionally hear Wachowski mutter to himself, but what he was saying was unclear to both hog and human alike. However, it was obvious something had happened at practice today. </p><p> </p><p>When they arrived back at the house, Wachowski dashed straight up to his room in the attic. Tom sighed. Maddie walked up to the two of them.</p><p> </p><p>“Can someone tell me what’s going on?”</p><p> </p><p>Tom and Sonic shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>“He seemed upset about something.” Sonic stated.</p><p> </p><p>She sighed. “Let me talk to him.” Maddie began walking toward the attic.</p><p> </p><p>Sonic, however, saw this as yet another opportunity to repay the kindness of this family. However, something else caused him to spring into action. Sure, this was a way to pay off his "debt," but Sonic genuinely wanted to comfort and cheer Wachowski up. After all, a Sonic shouldn't be sad.</p><p> </p><p>“Wait. I’ll go talk to him.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sonic, your leg.”</p><p> </p><p>He smiled. “I’ll be fine. You guys go...do whatever. This is the least I can do to repay you for letting me stay with you guys.” </p><p> </p><p>Sonic hobbled toward the attic. Luckily, the trapdoor was still open, as Wachowski, in his haste, had apparently forgotten to shut it. Carefully, he took his crutches in one hand and began climbing up the ladder.</p><p> </p><p>“Sonic, please! Don’t hurt yourself!” She pleaded.</p><p> </p><p>Sonic gave her a weak smile. “I’ve been through worse than this. I’m fine.” </p><p> </p><p>Though it was a struggle, he managed to climb up into the attic. He flopped onto the floor, panting. Once he caught his breath, Sonic painfully stood up with the aid of his crutches and noticed the crying Wachowski on the race car bed. He hobbled over to the boy and sat next to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Wachowski, you okay?” Sonic asked, sighing, “Look, I’m sorry we got there late. If my leg wasn’t broken, I would have had you home in a Sonic second.”</p><p> </p><p>Wachowski wiped his tears and looked up at his older counterpart. He looked so cool, even while injured, and “cool” was not something he’d use to describe himself or his mood at the moment. Wachowski stared at the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s….that’s not it at all.” He said, his voice wavering, “You wouldn’t understand...we only met yesterday.”</p><p> </p><p>Sonic put an arm around the boy’s shoulder. “Well, if you won’t tell me, I definitely won’t. Ain’t a mind reader, bud.” He smirked.</p><p> </p><p>Wachowski giggled slightly at Sonic’s attempt at lightening the mood. He sighed. "I’m used to Tom being late, but the other kids started making fun of me.”</p><p> </p><p>Tears began streaming down the boy’s cheeks. “I got distracted in the outfield during practice. Musta been daydreaming or something, but I let the ball fall right in front of me. The coach scolded me for it, but he wasn’t mad or anything. He was just doing his job. My teammates…”</p><p> </p><p>He began to choke up. Gently, Sonic rubbed soothing circles into the boy’s back. “Don’t worry, buddy. You can tell me.” He reassured softly.</p><p> </p><p>Wachowski took a deep breath. "....they made fun of me... they said I was slow. And when you were late to pick me up, Jack said that... that....." He closed his eyes, “....that mom and dad had left me behind because I was too slow."</p><p> </p><p>The boy began to cry into his older counterpart’s chest. Sonic stroked the boy’s quills. “It was an honest mistake, bud. It happens to the best of us.”</p><p> </p><p>"But I don't want to make mistakes! Not even little ones! That's how I lost Longclaw! That's how I wound up all alone."</p><p> </p><p>This statement piqued Sonic’s interest. “Buddy, calm down.” He said. The teen then remembered something Maddie had said to him. “Breathe. Just breathe. Can you do that for me, champ?”</p><p> </p><p>Wachowski took another deep breath. In through the nose, and out through the mouth. Some of the panic ebbed from his mind, the steady breaths evening out.. “Thanks...” </p><p> </p><p>“Now, start from the beginning. Who’s Longclaw?”</p><p> </p><p>The boy looked down."Longclaw was....she was my mom. I mean, before Maddie. Maddie's my mom now, but Longclaw was like...my first mom. She was a big owl, where I used to live." Wachowski was fighting back the tears.</p><p> </p><p>“"One day...I picked a flower for her. I brought it home, but I didn't realize, I didn't see that...they followed me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Who’s they?” Sonic asked.</p><p> </p><p>“The echidnas…” Another deep breath. "They wanted my power. They started shooting at me. Longclaw tried to save me, but...she got hurt...she sent me to Earth with the warp rings, and then she..." Tears filled his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"You couldn't save her…" </p><p> </p><p>"It wasn't my fault!" He sighed, sobbing. "I just…..wanted to get her a flower…."</p><p> </p><p>Sonic's mind recalled each and every close call he had had with Eggman. His mind kept going to...the ones he couldn't save. This kid in front of him was feeling that pain on a deeper level. For Sonic, the person was merely a friend or perhaps even an acquaintance, but for Wachowski, it was his mother.</p><p> </p><p>"..."she told me to stay hidden, and I did...for 10 years. Just watching people. Just...lonely. So lonely."</p><p> </p><p>The older hedgehog was trying his best to maintain the dam that was keeping back a waterfall of tears. This child in front of him had been alone and on the outside looking in since he was two and a half years old. Sonic then compared it to his own life of adventure. He had friends, sure, but he wasn't real close to….anyone. Not even Tails, who he considered his best friend and even brother, was someone he confided in. </p><p> </p><p><em> Not now, Sonic </em> , Sonic thought to himself, <em> Your feelings aren’t important right now. </em> </p><p> </p><p>Without saying a word, he pulled the smaller hedgehog into a hug. Wachowski gasped as tears formed in his eyes, as he was still getting used to the feeling of actually deserving affection. His dam burst as he let out a river of tears.</p><p> </p><p>"Shh. It's okay, buddy." Sonic soothed his younger counterpart.</p><p> </p><p>Wachowski wiped the tears from his eyes and looked up at Sonic. "Why are you being so nice to me?" He asked. "We just met yesterday."</p><p> </p><p>Sonic smiled. "You're a Sonic, and Sonics shouldn't be sad." At Wachowski’s furrowed brow, he sighed and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. "You've had quite a rough life, and you're still just a kid. 10 years alone. That’d be hard on anybody.”</p><p> </p><p>Offering a smile, Sonic leaned back confidently, gesturing to the space around them. “But you pushed through it, buddy. You’re not alone anymore. You have a family now.”</p><p> </p><p>Family. That word hit the older hedgehog harder than he thought it would. He swallowed before his own ocean of emotion was released. “S-so don’t sweat the small stuff. You’re not a failure, and you deserve the world.”</p><p> </p><p>Tears filled the younger hedgehog’s eyes as he smiled and hugged his older counterpart. “T-thanks, big me!” Wachowski exclaimed.</p><p> </p><p>Sonic smiled. “No problem, bud.” He replied. “Now, wanna play some video games or somethin’ until dinner?” He noticed the sizable collection the young hedgehog had amassed. Wachowski nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“I just got a new Dragon Ball fighting game! Wanna play that?”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s Dragon Ball?”</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p> </p><p>Dinner was mostly silent, given Wachowski's earlier blow up. Maddie, however, was the first to break the silence.</p><p> </p><p>"You okay, sweetie?" She asked.</p><p> </p><p>He nodded, smiling as he ate his chilidog. </p><p> </p><p>"Uh-huh. Big me and I had a good talk." The boy replied. He smirked. "Then, I kicked his butt in Fighterz."</p><p> </p><p>Sonic nearly choked on his chili dog upon hearing Wachowski tell Maddie about his devastating defeat. "H-hey! Give me a break! That game doesn't exist in my world!"</p><p> </p><p>"Sore loser." Wachowski stuck his tongue out at Sonic.</p><p> </p><p>"Show-off!"</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, you're the one who wanted me to go all out."</p><p> </p><p>"You didn't tell me you'd use some chaos fueled lunk head against me!"</p><p> </p><p>"It's Super Saiyan!" Wachowski had a cocky grin on his face as Sonic got madder and madder.</p><p> </p><p>"Super copy-cat is more like it!"</p><p> </p><p>Maddie and Tom chuckled. They were just like brothers.</p><p> </p><p> "Alright, enough you two. We don't want a power outage on our hands." Maddie said.</p><p> </p><p>"Wrong hedg—" Sonic sighed, "—yes ma'am."</p><p> </p><p>She smiled. "Finish your dinner." Sonic nodded as he resumed eating.</p><p> </p><p>Once the meal had concluded, it was soon obvious that one little hedgie was tired: Wachowski. Tom and Maddie chuckled at their son.</p><p> </p><p>"I think it's bedtime, young man." Shutting off the faucet, Maddie dried her hands on a dishtowel. Dishes done and bedtime; the routine the family usually followed seemed to be in effect regardless of their guest.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm not tired…I still have a lot of energy to play more…" Wachowski said, yawning.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie chuckled. "Why don't you go get ready, and I'll read you a bedtime story."</p><p> </p><p>At the mention of this, Wachowski's ears perked up. "Okey-dokey, artichokey!" Soon, he dashed up to the attic. Sonic raised a brow ridge.</p><p> </p><p>"Bedtime story? Isn't he almost a teen or something?" Sonic asked.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie sighed. "He's spent 10 years alone...with no one to care for him. Just trying to make up for lost time."</p><p> </p><p>Sonic frowned, remembering the boy's lonely life. "Oh, right."</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, it's alright bud. I had the same reaction when Madz started doing that," Tom replied, "but she's right. The kid's been through a lot. He needs time to just be...a kid."</p><p> </p><p><em> Time to just be a kid, huh </em>? Sonic thought. Maddie and Tom took note of Sonic's silence, a trait they found unusual for an alternate version of their chatterbox child.</p><p> </p><p>"Everything alright, sweetie?" Maddie asked. </p><p> </p><p>Sonic snapped to attention. "O-oh...yeah." He replied. "Um, where am I sleeping?"</p><p> </p><p>"I set up the guest room while Maddie was making dinner, so it's all ready for its new interdimensional spacehog." Tom replied.</p><p> </p><p>Sonic chuckled. "Thanks. Guess I should get ready for bed too." Sonic got up from the table, grabbed his crutches, and hobbled to the bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>Once Sonic had left, Maddie and Tom stared at each other.</p><p> </p><p>"So...something's up with this Sonic." Maddie remarked. </p><p> </p><p>Tom nodded. "I know...it's kinda giving me deja vu." He replied, "Should we talk to him?"</p><p> </p><p>"Not yet. You remember how long it took for our blue devil to open up. Let him come to us."</p><p> </p><p>"You're acting as if he's our kid or somethin'. He may be Sonic, but he's not- well- our Sonic."</p><p> </p><p>"Well….I guess maybe he kinda is our Sonic...in a way." She sighed. "I better go upstairs. Can't keep the blue devil waiting."</p><p> </p><p>Tom chuckled. "Right. I'll head on to bed, too." He got up from the table and walked to the bedroom as Maddie did the same except walking toward the attic. She then pulled down the ladder and climbed up, where she was greeted by her little blueberry sitting at the foot of his race car bed, wagging his tail.</p><p> </p><p>"Alright, wanna pick up where we left off in that superhero book?"</p><p> </p><p>Wachowski nodded. "I wanna see if Mind's okay! He kinda took a nasty blow."</p><p> </p><p>Sonic stood below the attic, listening in as Maddie told her son this exciting tale. The teen's attention wasn't on the story, however, but on the storyteller. He had vague memories of someone doing the same for him when he was small, causing his chest to tighten slightly. It was as if he were listening in on what his life could have been. The jealousy from last night had returned as a single tear streamed down his cheek. </p><p> </p><p><em> What a lucky kid, </em>Sonic thought.</p><p> </p><p>When the story had stopped, and all he could hear was the snoring of the young hedgie, Sonic quickly hobbled into the guest room. Lying down on the bed, he soon fell asleep.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie walked down the stairs and approached that very same room. Quietly opening the door, she checked on the sleeping teen. A smile spread across her lips. </p><p> </p><p>Other dimension or not, the hedgehog laying in bed was still her son, right? Or was it just a very similar hedgehog? She shrugged it off as she walked into the room, placing a kiss upon Sonic's forehead. Maddie then noticed the teen's tear-stained muzzle. Her brow furrowed out of concern, wondering if the boy had been crying.</p><p> </p><p><em> Poor guy, </em>She thought. Maddie had no idea what this version of Sonic had been through, but she was determined to find out. Quietly closing the door, she exited the room and joined Tom in bed.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for taking the time to read Chapter 2 of Ties Between Dimensions! It's a bit shorter than the first, but I hope you like it! Special thanks to but_why_not for helping beta this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. You've Got a Home and a Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>"C'mon, bud. Time to get up."</p><p> </p><p>Sonic groaned, trying to keep his eyes shut as he fought with the sunlight that was beating down upon him in addition to Tom's voice as he urged him to get up.</p><p> </p><p>"Five more minutes, Tails." He said, sleepily.</p><p> </p><p>"That's a new nickname...almost as weird as Donut Lord." The voice replied.</p><p> </p><p>Sonic eyes slowly opened as he finally saw the owner of the voice: Tom Wachowski. "D...Donut Lord? Who calls you that?"</p><p> </p><p>Tom chuckled. "You did—well, our you—before you started calling us mom and dad." Sonic's chest tightened at that remark, causing Tom to be concerned. "You okay, bud?"</p><p> </p><p>The blue blur quickly regained his composure before tears streamed from his eyes like a river. "Y-yeah….I'm okay."</p><p> </p><p>"Well, come on then. Madz is making breakfast." Eager to help, Sonic sat up on the edge of the bed. </p><p> </p><p>"Does she need any help?" </p><p> </p><p>Tom smiled. He really did remind him of their blue devil. "I'm sure she'd appreciate it, but you think you're up to it, with your leg and all?" Sonic nodded as he grabbed his crutches. "Okay then. Let's get going."</p><p> </p><p>The teen got up and began hobbling over to the kitchen. As soon as he entered, he saw Maddie quick at work preparing to make eggs and pancakes, with Wachowski close by, watching. </p><p> </p><p>"Need some help?" Sonic asked.</p><p>Maddie and Wachowski looked over at the injured hedgehog. "Sure, Sonic." Maddie replied before turning to her Sonic, "if that's okay with you, bud?" </p><p> </p><p>Wachowski nodded. "Sure! The more the merrier! We might even get done faster with <em> two </em>Sonics in the kitchen!" He exclaimed. </p><p> </p><p>She chuckled at her son's enthusiasm. "Alright, well, big Sonic, help with the pancakes. Sonic, beat the eggs." The two Sonics did as they were instructed, each with their own speed and (dare it be said) grace. Once each dish was finished at supersonic speeds, the two hedgies proudly displayed their work.</p><p> </p><p>"Ta-Da!" They cheered. Maddie placed her hand on her heart as she stopped herself from cooing at them. The boys were just two adorable for their own good.  In a moment, Wachowski quickly set the table as Sonic hobbled over to his seat, and the rest of the family soon sat down for breakfast. </p><p> </p><p>"Maddie, have you checked your email today?" Tom asked.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie pursed her lips and smirked, as if she didn't know what Tom was talking about. "No...not yet." Maddie chimed in with a smirk, "Maybe I'll check at work."</p><p> </p><p>Both Sonics stared back in confusion. Tom shrugged. "Ah well, let me know when you do. Could be something really important. " He stood up from the table. "C'mon, champ. Ready to head to the station?" </p><p> </p><p>Wachowski's tail wagged as he smiled with excitement. "You bet I am!" He exclaimed. </p><p> </p><p>Tom chuckled as the boy dashed to his side. "Other Sonic, how about you go with Maddie? Pretend to be Sonic's older brother or something." </p><p> </p><p>"So….I gotta go by Ogilive again?" Sonic groaned.</p><p> </p><p>" 'Fraid so, bud," Tom chuckled, "The other option would be to pass you off as our Sonic...but you're a bit too tall."</p><p> </p><p>He huffed and crossed his arms. “Fine...but I still hate the name.” He got up from the table and limped toward the door. “ Let’s get going.”</p><p> </p><p>Maddie sighed and shook her head. “Alright, alright. Let me grab my stuff...Ogilive.” Maddie said, smirking. Sonic turned red, nearly fuming.</p><p> </p><p>“Agh!”</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p> </p><p>Maddie was at her workstation, examining the results from the test she had run on Sonic. </p><p>“Hm...seems everything’s healing correctly.” Maddie said, “and rather quickly too, might I add.”</p><p> </p><p>Sonic smirked. “Everything about me is fast.” He snorted, “Tails said I could even build things faster than him, if I wanted to, just because of who I am and how I work!”</p><p> </p><p>“Tails? Is that one of your friends from your world?” Sonic nodded. “That’s very cool, bud. Tell me more.”</p><p> </p><p>The teen lit up, eager to tell Maddie about his world. “Well, Tails is this two-tailed fox kid who kinda looks up to me. I met him when he was fixing my plane.”</p><p> </p><p>“You have a plane?” Maddie raised an eyebrow. </p><p> </p><p>Sonic nodded. “Yeah. It’s a biplane called the Tornado! I never learned how to fly it, though, so until I met Tails, it kinda just sat there on the island. Can’t remember how I got it though, but I’ve had it for as long as I could remember. When I was small, I used to pretend to fly it though.”</p><p> </p><p>Maddie giggled at the image of a toddler Sonic in a large biplane. “Anyone else?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh! There’s this hot-headed echidna named Knuckles!” Sonic’s ears lowered, “Uh...different echidnas from the ones that Wa—I mean my little brother met.” Sonic quickly corrected himself in case anyone was eavesdropping. “He guards this large gem known as the Master Emerald, which is essentially the big kahuna of the chaos emeralds.”</p><p> </p><p>Maddie listened as she glanced over her appointment schedule. “I still don’t quite understand how these ‘chaos emeralds’ work but continue.”</p><p> </p><p>Sonic nodded and then blushed a bit before introducing the next person. “T-Then there’s...Amy Rose. She’s a pink hedgehog who kinda appointed herself as my girlfriend. It’s kinda annoying, but the truth is...I…”</p><p> </p><p>Sonic was interrupted by a nurse knocking on Maddie’s door. “Come in.” Maddie beckoned. </p><p> </p><p>The nurse entered the room, smiling at Sonic as she turned her attention to Maddie. “Dr. Wachowski, your 12:00 appointment is here. They’re in exam room 24.” She said.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie stood up from her desk. "Thank you." She turned to Sonic. "Stay here bud. You can watch TV or play some games on the other computer since my assistant isn't in today."</p><p> </p><p>"Got it, Maddie."  He replied. "Oh, by the way, what was that email you and Tom were talking about?"</p><p> </p><p>Maddie smiled. "They approved Sonic's adoption into our family, so we're celebrating." She walked out the door. </p><p> </p><p><em> His….adoption? </em>Sonic thought. His chest tightened as he fought back the tears. Sonic then walked with difficulty toward the other computer and sat down in front of it. He then moved the mouse and clicked on the internet browser. A familiar icon that looked similar to another video site on his world was on the welcome screen. He clicked on the icon and moused over to the search bar.</p><p> </p><p>"Let's see….what was the name of that song again...oh!" </p><p> </p><p>Sonic quickly typed "Everybody Knows My Name " into the search bar, and he clicked on the first result. The hedgehog sat back and listened to the song. For the most part, he was successful in keeping his emotions contained. However, a single tear escaped as he listened to the chorus.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You've got a home </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And a family </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Well, you've got much more than me </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Much more than me </em>
</p><p> </p><p>That chorus impacted him the most. Everything else about fame, fortune, ladders of success, and lady luck were interesting, but that chorus was like it was written exactly for him. It took every ounce of strength within him not to flood this room with his tears. He settled for softly singing along whenever the chorus came around. Maddie swung the door open as the song was ending. She glanced over the boy's shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>"Never knew you were a Four Seasons fan." She said. Sonic nearly jumped out of his seat. "Oh, sorry! Didn't mean to scare you."</p><p> </p><p>"I...I wasn't scared….just startled." Sonic replied. He tried his best to hide the fact that he had been close to crying, but a soft sniffle escaped his lips.</p><p> </p><p>"You okay?"</p><p> </p><p>"O-Oh….yeah! I'm fine." </p><p> </p><p>Maddie had a concerned look on her face. "You sure?" Sonic nodded. "Okay….well, if you want to talk about anything, I'm here." </p><p> </p><p>"Thanks...but I'm good!" Sonic gave her a thumbs up. </p><p> </p><p>Maddie sighed. She knew he was anything but okay. <em> Don't pressure him. Let him come to you </em>, she thought. "Well, I only have a few more appointments for the day, but they hopefully won't take too long. This last one only took a couple minutes."</p><p> </p><p>"Okay. Got it."</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p> </p><p>Once Maddie and Sonic were home, both quickly got to work as they began decorating the living room and the kitchen, with Sonic managing to use one of his crutches to reach the doorframe and pin the banners to them. A knock was heard at the door.</p><p> </p><p>"Must be one of Sonic's friends. I'll get it." Maddie said. "Don't go trying to steal a little bit of the icing now."</p><p> </p><p>Sonic placed a hand on his heart. "I would never." He said, looking properly scandalized.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie chuckled and walked toward the door, opening it when she got close enough. She was greeted by a middle-aged woman with long red hair accompanied by a child with red hair and freckles. </p><p> </p><p>"Martha! Fred! Come in!" Maddie gestured for them to come in. </p><p> </p><p>"Thanks Maddie." Martha replied. "Where should we put the gifts?"</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, by the TV should be fine. Thanks again for coming!"</p><p> </p><p>Fred gave Maddie a wide grin. "You kiddin'? I wouldn't miss Sonic's adoption party for anything! He's the best!" </p><p> </p><p>Maddie smiled as she led the first two guests into the house. "You're pretty cool too, kiddo. Not everyone can catch one of Sonic's fast balls."</p><p> </p><p>"I don't catch em every time...just sometimes!" Fred replied, "Though…..it is pretty often."</p><p> </p><p>"So, did you just get the approval today?" Martha asked.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie shook her head. "We've known for a week now, but we kinda wanted to surprise him. Good thing Ogilive, Sonic's big brother, came by to visit us. Provided the perfect distraction." </p><p> </p><p>"Guess you should adopt him too."</p><p> </p><p>Maddie glanced over at "Ogilive." She smiled, "Yeah, guess I should start filing the paperwork now." </p><p> </p><p>Upon hearing his fake name and the word "adoption," Sonic's ears perked up, and his chest tightened. <em> Don't cry...must not cry, </em>Sonic thought. </p><p> </p><p>Maddie looked over at the blue teenage hedgehog. "You okay, bud?"</p><p> </p><p>"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I...I'm fine." Sonic replied.</p><p> </p><p>"You sure?" Sonic nodded. "You can talk to me; you know." </p><p> </p><p>"Thanks….but I'm fine." He gave her a thumbs up. </p><p> </p><p>Other people soon arrived to the party, including Rachel, Maddie's sister, Jojo, Maddie's niece, and Wade Whipple, one of Tom's best deputies. </p><p> </p><p>"Oooh, I can't wait to see my little nephy's happy face….even if he is a blue alien!" Rachel exclaimed, "Jojo's more excited than me. She's been talking non-stop!" </p><p> </p><p>Jojo ran around the room, imitating her cousin. "Gotta go fast!" She exclaimed. The girl then ran into "Oglive" and looked at this new creature. "Aw...we were supposed to surprise you! You're already here!?"</p><p> </p><p>The hedgehog chuckled. "Wrong hedgehog. Name's Ogilive….I'm Sonic's older brother." Sonic lied, pointing to himself. </p><p> </p><p>"Oh! I'm Jojo!" She replied, extending a hand. The older Sonic—er "Ogilive"—shook the girl's hand. "I didn't know there were more hedgehogs like Sonic!"</p><p> </p><p>Rachel looked over at "Ogilive," raising an eyebrow. "Sonic has an older brother? How many more alien woodland critters you gonna take in? You takin' an alien racoon as your little boy next?" She joked.</p><p> </p><p>Maddie chuckled. "Maybe….they just seem to show up around us."</p><p> </p><p>"I might have seen another hedgehog on patrol one day...or was it something else," Wade chimed in, eager to join the conversation, "Whatever it was, it was kinda creepy."  </p><p> </p><p>"What did it look like?" "Ogilive" asked. Wade turned to  him and gasped. "Easy….I'm not Sonic….just his older brother." He was starting to wonder how long he could keep this act up.</p><p> </p><p>"Kinda figured you weren't our blue devil. Your arms are naked." Ogilvie made a face. "N-not that there's anything wrong with that! Um….anyway….it looked kinda orange. I didn't get a good look at it." </p><p> </p><p><em> Tails? </em>"Ogilive" thought. "Interesting…"</p><p> </p><p>Busting through the door was a disheveled older gentleman—Crazy Carl. "Am I late?" His eyes then shifted to Ogilive/Sonic. "Oh, hey big blue devil!"</p><p> </p><p>Maddie smiled. "Hey Carl. No, you're not late." She spied Tom's police car pulling into the driveway. "In fact, you're right on time. Everyone, hide!" </p><p> </p><p>All the guests hid behind various pieces of furniture, some behind the couch and some in the kitchen. Sonic was among the ones who hid in the kitchen,but instead of simply hiding behind the counter, he hid underneath the sink, his chest tight as he tried his best not to cry. He was trying to be happy for Wachowski, but the teen was overcome with feelings of jealousy. Why couldn't he get parents!? Why was he cursed to just live….alone? </p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>Wachowski and Tom were walking toward the door. The small hedgie was chatting away. "I can't believe I helped you stop a robbery today! That was so cool!" Wachowski exclaimed.</p><p> </p><p>Tom smirked. "Just don't think you can do that without me, bud. This ain't a comic book." He replied. </p><p> </p><p>"Aw, what a buzzkill." Wachowski stuck his tongue out at Tom. The two of them reached the door, and Tom opened it. Wachowski was confused. "Why are the lights out?"</p><p> </p><p>The lights then turned on. "Welcome to the family, Sonic!" The party guests exclaimed.</p><p> </p><p>"H-huh!? Wha…." He then noticed the banner hung from the ceiling that read:"I dub thee Sonic Wachowski!" </p><p> </p><p>Tom placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "They approved the adoption. Welcome to the family bud."</p><p> </p><p>Sonic Wachowski looked up at Tom. "For...for real? Does that mean….?"</p><p> </p><p>Maddie walked over to them holding the certificate. "Yep. You’re officially a Wachowski." Maddie stated.</p><p> </p><p>Tears welled up in the boy's eyes as he smiled. "Mom…dad…" He was picked up by Tom as he hugged both him and Maddie.</p><p> </p><p>"Oooh! This is going into my scrapbook!" Rachel squealed as she took a picture of the moment with her phone. </p><p> </p><p>Wachowski smiled up at his new parents then at the guests. There was Uncle Wade, Aunt Rachel, Jojo, Crazy Carl, and even Fred from the baseball team! However, there was one person of note missing. </p><p> </p><p>"Where's big bro?" Wachowski asked, referring to his older counterpart. </p><p> </p><p>"Oh, you mean Ogilive? He was with me in the kitchen...I think." Fred replied. "Wonder why he didn't come out...maybe we should have helped him up?</p><p> </p><p>"I'll go check on him." Maddie said as she walked toward the kitchen. "Maybe he lost his balance in the dark."  The festivities resumed as Wachowski hugged Tom once again before dashing to the floor to greet his family and friends. </p><p> </p><p>Maddie reached the kitchen, but Sonic was nowhere to be found. "Ogilive? Buddy?" Through the noise of the party, she could hear the sound of sniffling coming from underneath the sink. Maddie's heart broke as she heard this, realizing that she had been right to suspect that something was up. Carefully, she opened the cupboard door to reveal the sobbing teen singing a mournful tune quietly to himself.</p><p> </p><p>"You've got a home….and a family. You've got much more than me. Much more...than me…" </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So....full disclosure....this has been on amino for a month. Nonetheless, we're finally getting to the good part: tears. Can't wait to write chapter 4!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Opening up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sonic finally breaks down and opens up to Maddie, allowing him to realize just how much he has kept bottled inside.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Amy was at the communication terminal in the Resistance base, monitoring the movements of the troops and Eggman's badniks. She sighed as tears trickled down her cheeks. Amy could barely take it. Sure, they were keeping Eggman and his robots at bay, but it wasn’t the same without Sonic. She opened the locket around her neck. Contained within it was a picture of her and Sonic. The pink hedgehog clutched it to her chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sonic….where are you? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Amy thought. Tails and Knuckles soon walked into the base,  both looking a bit beat up. Amy looked over and gasped, running to their side. “Knuckles! Tails! Are you okay!?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Knuckles brushed himself off. “Heh, I’m fine. Eggman’s badniks aren’t.” The echidna snorted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They weren’t pushovers either.” Tails added in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey, we lived, right?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Only by the skin of our teeth! If Sonic were here, it wouldn't have been as hard!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Tails! Calm down!" Amy interjected. The fox boy sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sorry...I just wish he was here."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amy nodded. "Me too."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey hey," Knuckles chimed in, "you all are talking like he's dead or something. Sonic's still out there. I know it!"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Amy sighed and looked out the window. "I hope you're right…."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maddie walked into the living room with a sobbing Sonic in her arms.  Tom, taking a break from the festivities, turned to his wife as she entered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey, is 'Ogilive' okay?" He asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, he just hurt himself. I'm going to go to the guest room to check him out." Maddie replied with a knowing glance. Tom nodded, as if knowing exactly what the real situation was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Alright, take your time. Hope he's okay." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Maddie walked toward the guest room, opened the door, and sat down on the bed with Sonic in her arms. Maddie stroked the boy's quills. The tears didn't stop flowing. Sonic hadn't realized how much he's kept in. The pain of just keeping his emotions all inside to create an act of being a hero. Now, he just let it out and cried into Maddie's chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey, hey....it's okay." She said soothingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I....I'm sorry." Sonic managed to get out, sounding more like Wachowski than himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"For what?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic sighed as he calmed down a little, at least enough to speak coherently. "For having to see me like this....I never cry. I didn’t even cry when I was imprisoned." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Imprisoned? Maddie wanted to know how this occurred, but that could wait. "And why's that? Surely you have parents or someone to turn to."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"...not really. I keep a lot of this stuff to myself." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sweetie, that isn't healthy." Maddie said </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic wiped his tears. He hated tears, especially when he was the one producing them. "I don't want to seem weak, lame, or uncool...especially not to those who look up to me..." Sonic replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie placed her hands on the teen's shoulders. "Sonic, you shouldn't be afraid of appearing vulnerable. You can open up to people."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic simply looked and listened. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time for him to allow himself to actually cope with the trauma that had been built up throughout his life. Taking a deep breath, he let out a sigh. "I've seen friends nearly die and witnessed so much just utter destruction...and I just have to move on and not let it get to me..." Sonic said to Maddie. "I've been fighting this war against my universe's Eggman for as long as I could remember...and seeing your Sonic just allowed to just be...a kid....made me realize just how screwed up my life really is....I don't have a home...I don't even really have a family."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic started tearing up once more. Maddie hugged Sonic again. "Sonic, I can't even imagine what you've been through, but you're wrong about one thing. You do have a family. Not only Tom, myself, and other you, but your friends as well, and it's time you start opening up to them."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"But...what if they just see me as being....too emotional or clingy?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm sure they won't, sweetie."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic sighed as more tears flowed. It broke Maddie's heart when she saw her Sonic like this, and seeing it again from this alternate version of him gave her that exact same feeling. "Sonic, how old are you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"15."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And you've been fighting this 'Eggman' since you were how old?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Probably since I was five."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie gasped. The teenager was barely older than her own son but has experienced so much strife. "And you've kept all of this bottled up inside all this time?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He nodded once more. "Like I said...I hate tears. I just gotta keep going...."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie said nothing and just rubbed soothing circles into Sonic's back. Sonic gasped as tears once more formed in his eyes. This woman...this stranger...he had only just met a few days ago. Yet, he felt comfortable enough to open up to her like this. The tears started flowing again as he gently gripped her shirt. All the pain he had experienced...all the loss that he had not allowed himself to mourn over...it swept over him like a rushing wind as he was rocked in Maddie's arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Just let it out," Maddie said soothingly, "It's okay." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic felt so weak, helpless, and juvenile. The smile he wore in front of his friends and enemies hid years of pain that he kept inside, but now, there was no more hiding, just tears. Maddie held him close to her, stroking his quills. After some time had passed, and the crying had calmed down, Sonic looked up at Maddie tearfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Feeling better?" Sonic nodded. Maddie smiled and gave his ears a quick rub before setting him on the bed. "Sonic, you're not weak for expressing yourself like this. In fact, I'd say you might be even stronger now."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blue hedgehog gave her a confused look. "How so?" He asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie smiled. "You finally allowed yourself to break free of this so-called image of yourself and process everything you've gone through. You told me earlier that you've seen friends nearly die right in front of you right?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic nodded. "I've…." He sighed shakily, "I've seen at least one of them die right in front of me."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"And you didn't allow yourself to mourn, didn't you?" Sonic nodded once more. "Sonic, it's natural to mourn for those you've lost. Being a hero doesn't mean you have to keep it all in."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It doesn't?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie nodded. "Truthfully, I kinda had a feeling something was up for a while, but I didn't want to push you. I remember our Sonic taking a little while to open up too, but once he did, he felt a whole lot better. Opening up, especially to a stranger like me, takes a lot of courage."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Do..do you…" He swallowed, "do you think I should be this open with my friends?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Of course. That's what friends are for." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I guess you're right." Sonic smiled but then felt his chest tighten slightly. "Hey, um, weird question, but I was wondering, if you're this Sonic's mom...does...does that mean you’re my mom too?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie sighed, smiling. "I guess, in a way." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic smiled.  "Okay...mom." He wrapped his arms around Maddie. Tears filled his eyes once more, but these were formed due to the immense joy he felt in his heart and not the pain from earlier. Was this what having a family felt like? Being held in Maddie's embrace seemed...familiar. It reminded him of a simpler time...one before he was swept up in this endless war between himself and the doctor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie smiled down at him. The blue blur's reaction was similar to the reaction her blue devil had just minutes before to his adoption. Her question from last night had been answered: Other dimension or not, this was still her son. She held the teen close to her as she rubbed his back. Maddie set him back on the bed. "Lemme go get your crutches. I forgot to grab them when I found you."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic frowned slightly. "How long do I have to use those stupid things? You said I was healing quickly right?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie nodded. "We could probably take that cast off soon and replace it with a boot, but we don't exactly have one of those lying around, so we'll have to schedule an appointment with our Sonic's doctor or something."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic looked confused. "A boot? Why can’t you just take it off and let me walk on it normally!?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie chuckled at the teen's impatience. "You're not out of the woods just yet, bud, but you're almost there. At least you'll be able to walk on it, but no running yet."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic pouted and crossed his arms. "Lame." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie laughed. He really was just like their Sonic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic limped out of the guestroom. At this point, the party had died down, and only Wade, Martha, and her son Fred remained. Noticing Sonic's entrance, Wachowski  ran to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hey big me! Guess what? I'm officially a Wachowski!" He exclaimed. Sonic smiled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"That's great, bud." He replied. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You okay? Dad told me you got hurt." Sonic nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'm fine."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> His thoughts went back to his interaction between Maddie and himself from before. He had parents now...in a way. However, something in him needed confirmation of this. An actual adoption would be difficult due to him, well, not being from this dimension and eventually having to return home. He figured he’d ask anyway, just to have an answer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The party continued for a little bit, and when it ended, Wachowski went upstairs to his room in the attic. Sonic knew that this was the moment to ask. “Um, Maddie, Tom, can I talk to you guys for a bit?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom and Maddie turned to Sonic as they cleaned up from the party. “Sure bud, what’s up?” Tom replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic sighed. “You might want to sit down for this one.” Tom and Maddie paused from their cleaning and sat down on the couch. The teen sighed. “I’m gonna be honest, being here has changed my perspective on...a lot of things. Seeing your me being just...a normal kid...made me realize just how messed up my life is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He took a deep breath as tears started to form in his eyes. “All my life...I’ve been fighting against my Eggman. I’ve seen things that no one my age should have had to see ...including...” Sonic swallowed, “..including seeing one of my first friends die brutally in front of me.” He shuddered as he remembered that gruesome memory. “I didn’t let myself feel it, though. I just kept going. That’s been my motto: just smile. No matter how hard things get, no matter how much I wanted to just let it out, I just kept on acting like I was okay, when...when that really wasn’t the case.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The tears from before returned in full force, but he had to keep himself from becoming a blubbering mess. “I...I didn’t want to appear needy or uncool around my friends, so I never told them about any of this. I just..kept on smiling...allowing it to just build and build.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His tears began to blur his vision. He couldn’t keep it in as he fell to his knees and wept. Maddie got up, knelt beside him, and scooped him up into her arms. Sonic felt comforted by this once more as he rested his head on her chest. She carried him over to the couch and set him between her and Tom. Both of them put their arms around the teen as he wiped his tears. "To be honest, seeing your Sonic being able to have a normal life...with a mom and dad...made me feel kinda jealous...but at the same time, I'm happy for him.  He doesn't have to worry about looking cool. And maybe... I don't have to worry either. Maybe I could open up to my friends back home, though I never thought I would open up to you guys first...I mean I just met you guys two days ago."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom smiled. “Yeah, I guess that is a bit weird, even if you’re just another version of our blue devil of a son.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic’s chest tightened. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now or never</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought. “That’s...that’s actually something I wanted to ask you guys. Would you…” He swallowed. “...would you be my parents too?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie and Tom smiled. “Of course, sweetie.” Maddie replied. Tom grinned.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, other dimension or not, you’re still our Sonic.” He chimed in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic’s chest tightened as he smiled. The happy tears from before also returned. He was overwhelmed. “Thank...thank you….mom….dad.” Immediately, he was engulfed in a group hug by Tom and Maddie.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No problem, blue devil.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually, they call me blue blur where I come from.” Sonic chuckled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Blue blur, huh?” Tom smirked. “I like it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The attic door could be heard opening as the small feet of Wachowski ran from the ladder to the living room. He blinked upon seeing a tear filled Sonic being hugged by his parents. “Hey...is this group hug still open? What’s up?” The boy asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tom said nothing as he pulled him into the hug. “Nothing, just welcoming big you into the family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wachowski gasped. “I have parents AND a big brother!? That’s so cool!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sonic laughed through his overjoyed tears. “Yeah...very cool.” He wiped his tears as he was swallowed by the embrace of his new family. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were all soon released from the embrace of one another. Maddie looked up at the time. “Getting kinda close to bedtime.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, could...could I join in on storytime tonight?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course, sweetie.” She smiled. Maddie easily scooped up both hedgehogs into her arms. Sonic blushed a little.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Um, you don't really need to carry me."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's better than having you struggle up the ladder with your crutches. " Maddie chuckled. She carried them up to Wachowski's room (lucky for her, Wachowski forgot to close the door behind him). Once inside, she set both hedgehogs down. Wachowski quickly climbed up into his bed while Sonic sat next him on the edge of the bed. Maddie smiled at the adorable scene. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Alright, what to read you two…" She scanned the shelves looking for a book. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"We still haven't finished that Superhero book!" Wachowski interjected.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah! You're right! Maybe we should get big you up to speed."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maddie caught Sonic up and soon picked up where she and Wachowski had left off. Again, Sonic was reminded of a simpler time...before Eggman...when he too was read to like this. His eyes grew heavy, as did Wachowski's, and both hedgehogs soon drifted off to sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>First chapter of the new year! Sonic finally breaks down. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully I'll have chapter five out soon...ish.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! This was my first fanfic in years, so I hope you like it! Also, I've mainly been writing academic papers, so sorry if the style is a bit stiff or formal. I'm working on it though!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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